Mini-Road Trip - Phoenix to Santa Barbara

The ride from Phoenix to Berkeley via the I10 and I5 normally takes about 12 hours, of course that time frame is contingent upon the LA traffic.  From what I have been told by going that route it is a fairly straightforward and uneventful ride.  Since this would be the first and possibly the only time that I might make this trip Lauren and I thought that we might as well make the most of it and take a more scenic route with a stop in LA.  So we decided to take the I10 west into LA, see a few sights and then make our way up the CA1 along the coast up to Santa Cruz and then pick up a major highway to get us back to the Bay Area.

The first leg of the trip through the Arizona desert was rather uneventful as the scenery was pretty much the same.  We were surrounded by rolling hills of brush, cactus, and dirt.  The sky was overcast for much of the morning so the sun was unable to truly bring out all of the colors that the desert surroundings had to offer.  Lauren took the first round of driving since I was tired and my body still trying to catch up to the time change.  We cruised through Arizona fairly quickly with limited interruptions for gas and bathroom breaks.  It was great to just have that time to listen to music and hear Lauren tell stories about the many trips she had taken along the roads we were traveling.

After three hours of driving we made it to the California border and were met with the mandatory agricultural inspection that every vehicle entering California is subject to.  Of course the person manning our line looked briefly in the windows of the car and waved us through.  I imagine that the sight of the two of us gave the person enough confidence that we weren't trying to smuggle any illegal flora and fauna into the sate which allowed us to pass through without having to rummage through the car.  We switched roles, I driving and her navigating, on the other side of the border and we continued west to LA.  the scenery was very much the same.  Sprawling desert landscapes with little to no civilization around us.  While we did not get the opportunity to view wildlife we did see what looked like a mountain lion on the side of the road that fell victim to a moving vehicle.

We cruised through the southern California desert and didn't actually make an intentional stop until we were just north of Palm Springs.  For those who are unfamiliar with the area, like me, Palm Springs is an area of civilization out in the middle of nowhere a few hundred miles west of LA.  It is a playground of casinos and various festivals held throughout the year.  We saw a sign for a large Christian rock festival that we missed only by a few weeks, while we would not have attended such an event it attests to the many different events that occur in this oasis in the desert.  But just north of Palm Springs in a little town there is a stop that Lauren insisted we had to make.  As we pulled off the highway rising into the sky above the gas stations and restaurants were two gigantic dinosaurs, a T-Rex and a Brontosaurus.  As a child Lauren and her family would always stop in this town to see the dinosaurs.  Now grown up whenever she is driving with her young nieces they too desperately want to stop to see the larger than life animals that once walked this area of California.  It was cool to have the opportunity to share that with her.

Dinosaurs in the desert???

Notice the sign under the head...I am thinking that the people who put this up may be creationists

Help!  I'm T-Rex lunch!

Except for the height difference they look exactly alike.

After our brief stop and a refuel we continued our way west to the sprawling metropolis known as LA.  As we got closer to the city there were more cars on the road, more staties patrolling, and my excitement grew.  I have never been to LA before so this was a bit of a novelty.  Given the fact that we were only there for a few hours we decided the the best place to stop and look around would be Hollywood Boulevard.  There are so many things along the boulevard that define LA and all its grandeur.  The Hollywood walk of fame, the Chinese Theater, the Kodak Theater and dozens of people hawking maps of homes of the stars are but a few things we were able to see.  Since it was the Sunday before MLK day there were tons of people out and it was utter chaos, though tenuously held together by the beat cops that walked the streets.  We walked around and for the most part had a good time soaking it all in.

We were greeted with this mob of people as we exited the parking garage

The Chinese Theater

Star Wars heaven!!!!

As you can see a storm trooper was among us, so many people dress up for pictures it is almost a full time job, we saw at least five different Capt. Jack Sparrows and three Darth Vaders...I wonder what kind of benefits they get???

Everyone's favorite cartoon family has a star...score!

Fortunately the Oscars weren't happening or this would have been so much worse, though the Golden Globes were that night though at the Beverly Hills Hotel

The iconic Hollywood sign...what is more LA than the excess of Hollywood

Phoenix, AZ

I have now been in Berkeley for the better part of two weeks and as you may all know I have not posted a thing.  I had hoped that upon my arrival on campus I would have posted several times by now but alas time has again got away from me.  I didn't think that I would have been that busy with everything especially since the semester just started, oh well.

As most of you know I left Boston to head back to Berkeley for my January Intersession class, but instead of heading straight to California I stopped in Phoenix to meet up with Lauren.  She was in Phoenix to visit some friends and interview for a possible position at her home parish after her ordination.  Her father drove out with her but she had no one to ride back with her so I figured it would be a good way to see more of the country that I have not previously seen.

I left Boston just before a cold front swept in and the threat of snow looming.  I made through the whole break back home without snow and without any serious cold spells.  So I boarded the plane bundled up and looking forward to the warmer weather of the Arizona desert.  The plane trip was uneventful and I arrived in Phoenix in the dead of night.  Lauren met me and we made our way to her friend Gini's condo.  It was cool sitting in the passenger seat and looking out into the night.  I could only make out stuff that was close because it was so dark and there was no natural light to see off into the distance.  I saw a whole lot of sand and cactus.  Definitely not in Boston anymore.

The next morning we woke up and I got a better feel of where I was and the surrounding area.  It was still early but Lauren and I bundled up since desert morning are cold and went to her favorite local coffee house, Coffee Rush.  We hung out there and I listened to her reminisce about events from her life that occurred there since she hung out there a lot.  The next stop on our agenda for the day was to visit her maternal grandmother and grandfather.  However we were not expected until 11:00 so we needed to kill some time.  We drove around for a bit as Lauren pointed different places she knew from her childhood.  We visited her home parish which is sponsoring her for ordination.  We walked around the downtown area of Chandler, a town just outside of Phoenix.  After a while it was time to head to her grandparents house.

 A Tumbleweed Christmas Tree in downtown Chandler

 The town square

What started as just a 30 minute visit turned into a 2 hour stay that was filled with stories and good food.  It was great to meet them and for them to get to know me better.  Her grandmother was born in Mexico and spoke little English, while her grandfather was born in California but had a thick accent and sometimes acted as translator.  Lauren could understand her grandmother even though she doesn't speak Spanish.  We had homemade tamales and quesadillas, both of which were excellent.  After two hours we left and went back to the condo for a house warming party and of course more importantly the AFC Divisional game between the Pats and the Broncos.

A lot of Gini's family and friends showed up for the party and it was a good time.  There were kids running around, food laid out all over the living room and dinning room, and the NFC game between the 49ers and the Saints.  Of course a lot of people in the house were rooting for the Niners and it turned out to be a great game.  Then the Pats came on and I took a prime seat on the couch in front of the giant flat screen.  We watched the Pats dominate the Tebow led Broncos and munched on a burrito from Lauren's favorite restaurant.  After a long day we all retired and called it a night.

The next morning Laurena and I woke up early to pack the car and get ready to hit the road back to California.  We said our goodbyes and took off for the highway.  Then to my surprise on the horizon that familiar sign came into view and I knew that this was my lucky day.  In the middle of Arizona there was a Waffle House, I missed the opportunity to stop at one on the cross country road trip, so I was excited to get my fix.  I ordered the same meal I get every time and we grubbed out in breakfast bliss.  After our feast we hit the road heading west to LA.

Thank you Jesus!

The same meal I get every time I go to Waffle House...I affectionately call it the heart stopper

I'm back...in Berkeley that is

After almost three and a half days of traveling I have successfully made it back to Berkeley.  I have had some interesting adventures, with pictures and over the next few days I will be letting you all in on what I have been up to.  But now I must unpack my car and get some rest because not only do I have a class tomorrow but I am physically and mentally burnt out right now and vegging out sounds excellent.  Stay tuned y'all.

End of first semester and home

I have made it home as most of you already know.  The past twelve days have been stressful, challenging, fulfilling, and overall a whirlwind experience.  Just about a week ago I two normal final essay due in both Greek and OT and I had a three hour timed final essay for my history class.  We were given several options for our final history paper and one of options was a three hour timed essay, which is similar to a standard General Ordination Exam, or GOE, session.  By the end of our first semester of our third year those students pursuing ordination must take the GOE.  This test consist of three hour session in seven canonical areas:  Holy Scripture, Church History, Christian Theology, Christian Ethics, Contemporary Studies, Liturgics and Music, and Theory and Practice of Ministry.  So, our professor thought it was a good idea to expose students to these similar situations to ease our general anxieties about the whole experiences.  On a side note, in some dioceses the GOE score is taken under very serious consideration when they decide whether or not to advance a candidate for ordination, while in other diocese it means nothing at all.  Anyways, by Tuesday of last week I had finished my two papers and electronically submitted them and looked towards preparing for the history paper.

I spent a fair amount of time with the texts and my class notes that the professor distributes before each class.  I had a good grasp on the topic and I used a good amount of references to both the texts and the notes.  I sat down, started my timer, and began to type.  After about three hours I had a nine page essay on  about salvation in the middle ages and I thought it was pretty solid.  I sent it off to the professor and will get my grade soon.  I took care of that on Thursday and had Friday to get ready for my flight home to Boston at 11:15 that night.  Friday was a relaxing day and by six Jason, Lauren and I loaded up my car and made our way to SFO, Jason was flying out an hour and half after my departure and Lauren was taking my car back to school.  We did stop for dinner at Sizzler.  It was a classy place but it did have decent food for the options that they had.  It was good to have a full meal before getting on a red-eye flight.  I was at the airport by 9:30 and in the air before 11:30.

The flight was uneventful even though I did not sleep.  It is not that I could have fallen asleep, it was that I couldn't even if I had wanted to.  I was sitting two rows from the back in an aisle seat.  I had two people to my left, the aisle and then a set of three more seats.  The flight was full, every seat was filled with a body.  Now there were two bathrooms at the rear of the plane, two rows behind me, and one up front by the front door and the cockpit.  My shoulders are fairly broad and my should extended beyond my seat and into the aisle.  every person that went to the bathroom on that five and a half hour flight, including the flight attendants, hit my shoulder as they walked by...twice, one for going and one from returning.  Not one person went out of their way to try and squeeze by so needless to say I didn't even bother to try and sleep.  Other than getting knocked around a whole bunch the flight went by quickly.  We landed in Boston around 8:00 Saturday morning and I was asleep in my bed by 10:00.

My first semester is done and I have five more until graduation.  While I am taking my time and trying to explore and take advantage of every opportunity that comes my way while I am in Cali,  am always looking forward with my eye on the future.  I have a goal and like a good puzzle every pieces has to line up and fit together to get the desired result, so too for me as I put all the pieces together and move forward.  It is amazing to think how quickly the semester went by.  It was a full three months but it didn't feel like it.  I can only imagine what three years will feel like.

I am home now and ready for a break.  I may post while home but I will be relaxing and getting ready for my next semester.  I fly back to Cali in January so you will definitely hear from me by then.  Merry Christmas.

A difficult task

I received an email from my aunt yesterday evening during class.  I know what you are all thinking why were you on your computer instead of paying attention in class?  My answer is..duh I had other work that I'd rather work on so I zoned out the prof and worked on other assignments.  Just kidding.  I usually take some notes on my computer as well as have the internet up to look up articles pertinent to what the subject being covered that day.  Anyways, I opened the email and started reading.  According to my aunt, a court in Georgia is going to be ruling on a motion to suppress evidence in the murder case for the shooter who shot my uncle almost two years ago on Valentine's Day.  A member of the DA's office is seeking Victim Impact Statements from family members of the victim.  Immediately a rush of emotions swept over me as I remembered back to that day and the days after as we dealt with the aftermath of the seemingly random murder.  I am now tasked with putting my thoughts, feelings, and reactions, now two years removed onto paper before Sunday.

I have spent the last day and a half thinking about the incident and the effect that it has had on me.  It does bring back some very strong emotions, no doubt, but I don't think that it has impacted my daily life.  It did not trigger another depressive episode, which it very well could have, but after thinking about it I have come to a conclusion.  It is my faith that has brought me through this time of trial and tribulation.  I don't feel vindictive or vengeful towards the perpetrators of the crime because while I believe the US judicial system will hopefully determine an appropriate punishment based on the legal gather of facts and evidence.  However, I firmly believe that when Jesus comes again they will have to stand in front of him and be judged for their actions.  Since they violated one of God's most sacred commandments they will be found wanting and deal with the eternal punishment that awaits each of them, all the while my uncle will be joined with God in all of His peace and love that awaits him.  I know that I will see him again, not today or tomorrow, but without a doubt we will see each other again.  I think that the losses that my family have been through over the last four years would be more difficult to deal with if I did not have my faith to comfort me.  My prayer book and my bible have provided me with strength that has served me well over this difficult time.  Hopefully others can find the same peace and comfort as I have...hopefully.

Two weeks and counting

It is amazing how time flies.  There are only two more weeks left in the semester and it seems like we just started.  Where did the time go?  With only two class sessions for each of my courses we are now hitting crunch time.  I have completed two of my four final papers for my classes and only one hard one left.  I do have to do my final history paper but I am meeting with Dan tomorrow so I will have a better feel about it.  Plus there are special directions and options for this paper that make it a little bit easier.  In two weeks I will be back in Boston, where I imagine it will be more like winter than here in Berkeley.  I will miss being here but going home for a month sounds pretty good.  There are a few things that I need to take care of while I am home anyways, including applying for scholarships and grants so that I can have money for next year.  If I keep my head down and continue to plow through the work I will hopefully finish the semester strong and have some decent grades.  Two weeks and counting...and I will be home.  See you all soon.

First setback

For the most part my time here at CDSP has been a fairly smooth ride.  The trip out was uneventful.  The move in was easy.  After a while I settled in and found my place in the community out here.  The transition from home to the west coast was good.  The one area of transition that I knew might be a bit bumpy was in my academics.  Though I only left Lesley just about a year ago, when I first came out here I was still in that academic mindset.  While other students had not been in school for many years I was only looking at a minor layoff of time that I thought could easily be bridged.  So far it has been alright, but I have now hit my first hurdle and I didn't quite clear it.

Of all my classes I knew that my history course was going to be the most difficult and not because of the content but because of the standard of academic writing involved for the course.  I knew that the professor was a hard grader and it is intentional on his part as he hopes to help shape our writing early in our education here so that we will prepared for the more difficult upper level courses that require this style of writing.  For my first paper, I did well getting an 85 but also received some good comments about what I could have done better.  What I was hoping for was some improvement on my second paper.  Improvement in my grade was not my concern but improvement in my understanding of the text, of making an argument, and improvement in my ability to support and defend that argument.  I got my grade for the second paper and I did not do better, but took a few steps back.  While the grade was 80 and nothing to be looked down upon, but there was one fundamental issue with my second paper.  I misinterpreted the text so that completely undermined my whole paper.  My two friends who edited my paper did not catch it.  The TA for the course did not catch it either, but Dan caught it.  There were a lot of things that needed improvement for the paper but the fact that I wrote it under a false pretense then my whole paper is rubbish, for lack of a better word.

I was bummed.  I am not going to lie.  I knew it wasn't an A paper but I thought that given the time and effort put into I thought that I would show some improvement.  It is a hard pill to swallow, but the true measure of my character is not how I act while I am on top, but how I bounce back when I stumble and fall.  I will be meeting with Dan soon to discuss options for my last paper because I need to make sure that I read the texts correctly in order to produce a good final paper.  It is only one grade, on one paper, in one class that is just one part of my three year education.  Though it is hard to be knocked down, I know that I will stand back up and strive to do a better job the next time around.